Speaking about the opening of Network Rail's road distribution centre today. the rail company's Director of National Delivery Service Martin Elwood explains why Ryton in Warwickshire is an ideal location to be based.

Speaking about the opening of Network Rail's new road/rail hub at Ryton in Warwickshire, the head of the company's National Delivery Service said:

"Network Rail's first preference is to transport goods by rail. This is not always the right solution so we have an extensive road fleet to transport goods and equipment to our work sites and depots.

By bringing the logistics for this together at Ryton we can offer a more effective and efficient service for Network Rail. This will mean reduced costs and faster turnaround times when we do work on the railway."

A man whose wife and seven-year-old grandson died on a tram crossing in Nottinghamshire has today given evidence at a hearing in front of MPs on the Transport Select Committee.

Laurence Hoggart’s wife Jean, 56, and grandson Michael Dawson died on the pedestrian crossing in Bestwood Village in November 2008. Today, Mr Hoggart spoke of his anger at Network Rail, saying they 'were not interested'.

In a statement read on his behalf, he said: "This has devastated my life and my family's life. Jean was the backbone of my family and it has broken my heart.

"I think that Network Rail have treated me badly. They wrote just one letter of apology, my solicitors discovered that the crossing was seen to be unsafe by Railtrack in 2000 and their advisers said a bridge should be built."

"That was eight years before they died, nothing was done. They did not care, they were only interested in making money."

"I think this greed is criminal and I have sued them for compensation and right up until the week before the case was due they stood against me, saying that Jean was 10% or 20% to blame."

Rail safety expert Peter Rayner told the panel that the arrangement at Bestwood was "fundamentally flawed" and resulted in "almost an impossible crossing".

He added that he believed there were "commercial considerations compromising safety".